UAFS Students Moving Onto Campus, Ready For School Year

Saturday

Aug 16, 2014 at 4:05 AM

This weekend the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will be flooded with yellow shirts, blue carts and fresh faces as the Chancellor’s Move-In Crew continues moving another year of students into The Lion’s Den residence hall.

This weekend the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will be flooded with yellow shirts, blue carts and fresh faces as the Chancellor’s Move-In Crew continues moving another year of students into The Lion’s Den residence hall.

Because the university’s new visual arts building is under construction at the former move-in hub, the crews relocated to the health sciences parking lot on Waldron Road.

"We are in the best location," said Beth Eppinger, UAFS director of housing, "because our volunteers don’t have to cross any streets while assisting with move-in, so it’s safer, and also our location is larger and it’s in the shade."

Between the Thursday move-in for Cub Camp-attending freshmen and another hundred-plus students moving in Friday, today will round out move-in weekend, Eppinger said.

"By the time the weekend is done, more than 400 people will call the Lion’s Den home," she said Friday with a grin.

"The most exciting thing about housing is that we’re full," said Brock Holland, UAFS university relations coordinator. "And it’s something we’ve been working toward for five years. We’ve got all of these students now in full housing, so it’s just going to create an even stronger feel of connection to the campus, and just be a better community overall for these students to experience and make memories with."

Second-year student Kayley Corley agreed.

"It’s so much easier to be involved on campus when you actually live here," Corley said. "So it was an easy decision for me. I’m involved in a lot of different things after class, and I’m from Booneville. That’s an hour away. If I lived at home, I couldn’t have done that."

As Corley dragged a trio of mirrors onto the Lion’s Den elevators and headed to her room, helpers Dillon Swan and Kayla Stone came behind with a cart full of shoes, guitars and clothes.

"I know going to college is something rough," said Swan, 23. "So it’s always good to go into a warm place … and actually have a smiling face."

"It’s a great way to meet people," added Stone, 19. "I’m still friends with all of my move-in crew!"

The 460-room, four-story Lion’s Den, built for $24.5 million, opened in fall 2010.